[Envinyatar]

Derufin climbed to the ridge of the roof, where the other two were waiting for him. ‘You two go ahead. I’ll come along later. Beren has already brought me some food, and I want to get the planks laid and sealed before this evening.’ He looked down at the progress they were making on replacing the shingles on the north side. ‘Well done, you two. You should be done by the end of the day.’ He waved them off and went back to the section of the roof deck he was repairing.

The old shingles and rotted substructure had been cleared away, the underlying timbers inspected and found to be in good shape. Using the saw that Beren had brought up to him, Derufin cut a number of planks to fit the length of the area and fitted them carefully together, securing them onto the underlying structure with nails. Once done, he climbed down the ladder, bringing the saw with him. He hung it back in the stable near his workbench and went to the storage shed that stood outside the side door. A bucket of resin was the object of his search, and having found it, he took it into the kitchen to warm by the fire.

Cook eyed the bucket as he sat it on the hearth, then nodded as he explained the use of it. Two cookies, and a mug of tea and the resin was declared pliant enough to be spread on the roof. Stuffing an apple in his shirt pocket Derufin made his way back to the ladder and started up.

A familiar voice called out to him. ‘You’ll have to come back down if you expect to get this letter today.’ Derufin looked over his shoulder and saw Halfred standing there, waving a slender, folded piece of vellum at him. ‘I don’t like heights,’ he heard the Hobbit say. ‘Otherwise, I would climb up to you.’ Halfred waved the letter at him, and even at this height he could recognize the bold hand that had addressed it.

‘A moment,’ he said, hanging the bucket on a hook that hung from the eaves, and climbing back down the ladder. With a small bow, Halfred handed over the letter, and was rewarded in kind with a bow and a smile from the man. He left the man to the reading of it and made his way back to the Common Room for a bit of refreshment.

All thoughts of resin and plank seams fled as Derufin leaned back against the ladder and opened the note.